20 January – 20 February 2014 in all participating restaurants

The Global World Gourmet Society Festival will start January 20th 2014!Top restaurants across the globe offer their interpretation of the World Gourmet Society’s mission to discover new culinary landscapes in form of a side menu along side their regular menu . Please see below the list of participating restaurants and book a table now to start discovering new gourmet moments.Members of the World Gourmet Society will get a 10% discount!

Foreword

Meet Tesi Baur

“Discovering New Culinary Landscapes” is the topic of the first World Gourmet Festival. I am happy and proud that more than 15 exquisite restaurants and chefs in 11 countries across the...More >

Meet Gianfranco Chiarini

Dear members and friends of the World Gourmet Society,Good food prepared with love and well-presented is powerful. It brings people together, creates a sense of community... More >

1.Tesi: Please complete the following sentence and explain why you rate the cuisine of your choice so highly: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Dorfer:Austrian cuisine! Certainly everyone is familiar with “Wiener Schnitzel” and “Salzburger dumplings” or “Kaiserschmarrn,” but the different areas of Austria offer so much more when it comes to regional cuisine, which is defined by a deep attention to quality and regional products.

3.Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of deciding whether they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Dorfer: As always in life, if you do things with passion and an intelligent focus on the right goal then you will make the right decision!

4.Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu, or does it differ every time?

Chef Dorfer: Mostly I get my inspiration by using seasonal products. I have a close working relationship with my suppliers and producers. This paired with modern and traditional cooking techniques gives me my inspiration.

Chef Dorfer: Good food needs to be recognisable! I need to be able to recognise good products by their taste. If you change or influence the taste of food too much it would not be a good dish for me anymore.

Austria / Döllerers Genusswelten

World Gourmet Society Festival

Please note that the World Gourmet Society Festival will take place in Austria from March 1st to March 31st

In this section you can review:

Information regarding the restaurants

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Andreas Döllerer's cooking skills

The biography of Chef Andreas Döllerer

Information regarding the restaurants:

FAMILY DÖLLERERCELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN FAMILY HANDS

The Döllerers hotel & restaurant, wine trade, and delicatessen form a family-run hotel in the best sense of the word. In 1974, Hermann and Raimund Döllerer, with their wives Martha and Marianne, took over their parents' inn, which has been family-owned since 1909. This has been followed by continuous quality improvement: raising the culinary range of typical inns with gourmet cuisine, remodelling of the hotel area in 1994 to 4-star comfort, excellent delicatessen specialties that are offered in numerous top restaurants and delis, and a private wine trading house that has supplied the top restaurants in Austria and Bavaria since 1986. They have received 2 Gault Millau toques in the gourmet restaurant, one for the inn, and 5 crowns at “à la carte”.

Anyone who has ever been around Döllerer understands why one speaks far beyond the borders of this versatile world of culinary and hospitality. On a visit to Döllerer's Genusswelten, the guest can always expect something new. One thing remains the same, of course: pleasure at the highest level. There is colourful hustle and bustle both in front of and behind the scenes with a 16 member family that cares greatly about the welfare of their visitors. The generational change is gradual because each member of the Döllerer family cannot imagine a life so completely without work. The parents' generation has, however, become satisfied to step back and hand over the reins to the young Döllerers.

Christl Döllerer welcomes the guests to the hotel, restaurant, or tavern. Her husband, Andrew, shares his passion in the kitchen. In Döllerer's Enoteca + Bacaro, Raimund Döllerer and his brother Christian manage more than 200,000 bottles of wine. This wine trading house supplies top restaurants across the country. They are supported by their patron Hermann Döllerer, who is responsible for the consistent change in thinking in recent decades so that the name “Döllerer” is synonymous with quality. He is constantly on tour through Austria doing wine sales and public relations.

Sabine, Raimund's better half, is found anywhere hands are needed. Her secret passion lies in decorating Döllerer's Genusswelten to give it the a loving atmosphere. Raimund Senior is and remains simply a passionate butcher. He creates the specialties of the deli department, working with professionals under the name of "Döllerer's Sausage Factory.” His fresh veal sausages (Kalbsbratwürstel) have reached iconic status in Vienna’s gourmet circles and are befitting service with a glass of champagne.

The two grandmothers, Martha and Marianne, now enjoy spending time with their ​​seven grandchildren: Laura, Raymond, Florian, Andrew, Leopold, Marie-Amelie, Markus, and the smallest sprout Hermann.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:Please note that the menu is currently only available in German.

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Andreas Döllerer's cooking skills:

The biography of Chef Andreas Döllerer:

The multi-award chef Andreas Döllerer is a versatile man, especially when it comes to food. He learned his exceptional cooking skills working abroad with Dieter Müller in Lerbach Castle in Germany, as well as in the restaurant "La Taverna" in Colloredo di Montalbano in Italy. In addition, he posseses a large portion of talent and a passionate interest in anything that has to do with pleasure.

In 2003, he became a star while reviving the Austrian restaurant scene, after which he immediately cooked up three Gault Millau toques for Döllerer's gourmet restaurant, as well as two Gault Millau toques for Döllerer's inn. His credo is tradition meets modern, but he repeatedly demonstrates the courage to innovate. He calls his kitchen line Cuisine Alpine, and it is a successful blend of classic Austrian delicacies flavored with a dash of creativity and international charm.

In his spare time, Andreas loves to be in gourmet kitchens around the world, but when at home, he prefers local delicatessen products. In the nearby Bluntautal, guests can find fish still happily swimming in the crystal clear early morning water until captured by Andreas to be made into a delicacy. He also prefers meat, such as Pinzgauer organic beef or Tauern lamb fed from the natural pastures of the Salzburg province. Today, Döllerer's Genießerrestaurant is one of the ten best restaurants in Austria, and all who know Andreas Döllerer know that he is enthusiastic and has his bags packed and ready for the fast-track.

CV Andreas Döllerer

1979 was a good year for Austrian wines, and it was also good for Austrian chefs. In April 1979, Andreas Döllerer was born near Salzburg. He grew up in the family-run business, attended school in Golling, and eventually graduated from the Hotel Management School in Bad Hofgastein. After graduation followed a year of "National Defense" and some stage stays at home and abroad. He spent a year in the kitchen of Dieter Müller to complete his “basic training," on which his career has been built. Since 2004, Andreas Döllerer has worked in the family company as a chef to develop and perfect his Alpine Cuisine. He is considered a rising star among creative chefs in Austria: He was the 2007 Newcomer of the Year; was awarded the 2008 " Tropheé Gourmet;" and was awarded for creative cuisine and named "Chef of the Year 2010.” Döllerer's gourmet restaurant in Golling is currently valued at 18 points in the Gault Millau, making it one of the top ten restaurants in Austria.

1. Tesi: Dear Gianfranco, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Gianfranco: This is actually a very interesting question. As a matter of a fact and like most Italian chefs I discover my love for ingredients and the necessity and pleasure to transform them into culinary delights whilst in my childhood. But for other reasons and paths of life I actually took interest and started performing this talent professionally later in life.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in Europe is...(Please complete the sentence and explain why you rate the cuisine of your choice high)

Gianfranco: The most underrated cuisine in Europe is German cuisine.In my own experience of course and after living many years in Germany I can truly say that Germany has probably the most under rated and misunderstood cuisine of Europe. Could be the fault of false advertising, or perceptions or the fault of German chefs not taking enough pride in their own regional products, but the truth is that they do have wonderful products and regional styles of cooking which makes their cuisine highly interesting.

For example:

I find very interesting the combinations of Sweet and Savory flavors within one dish, due to the influx of Jews in Germany in the last century. This crossover and the pleasure Germans find into it; leads me to believe that Germans have a complex palate that can reason and create great combinations. To balance Sweet and Savory needs a certain touch and Germans do.

Other interesting fact is, that fortunately, however, there is no one single “German” cuisine. Every region has its specialties. The Rhineland is known for its Sauerbraten a traditionally, marinated braised horse meat. In northern Germany they serve a dish called Labskaus; a mixture of corned beef, potatoes, pickled herring, red beets and onions, with a fried egg on top for good measure and much more from the Schwarz Wald region considered the Amazons of Europe with a great variety of game and animal species too, and other regions sum up to compile a great variety of influences.

I have had great dishes and fulfilling combinations coming from this great very much misunderstood cuisine and let’s not forget the great wines from the Rhine region and all along the valleys. An outstanding variety that shouldn’t be forgotten.

3. Tesi: I give you €100 to have a dinner in Roma or €250 for a dinner in Paris. Which dinner would you choose and why?

Gianfranco: This is more a mathematical question rather than a culinary one J. But to be candid I’ll give you both; the culinary and the mathematical. If I was a person in a budget I will definitely use the 100 Euros in Rome. Why? Very simple. (And this is not a nationalistic choice, trust me!).

Let’s consider first and foremost that in both capitals you will find excellent food for the locals and the connoisseurs and at the same time you will find bad and lousy fast food for the massive tourist crowd who does not appreciate or neither understands culinary and need only fuel to go on.

That being said, I will take the 100 Euros in Rome because based on my experience in both capitals; Paris has been definitely driven by the pressure of delivering a certain level of quality and trends, therefore 250 Euros for great cuisine will not be enough.

In most cases I’ve found that the very expensive cuisine of Paris to be over rated as the products promised in the menus versus the prices of such products in a country hit by the crisis too, has made the young and no longer passionate generation of French chefs and restaurant owners to take shortcuts, using convenience and chemical additives like molecular cuisine trends in order to deliver average cuisine (greatly presented) after long cooking processes on a very complicated and demanding cuisine that is turning lately to be without a soul.

On the other hand if I choose to eat fast food. It has become expensive too but then we understand what we are in for. Therefore with only 250 Euros I will end up hungry and unsatisfied. Plus the service in Paris is not really welcoming and to the top.

In Rome the service is lousy too and the bad attitude is seen as well in many places, which I cannot deny. Now, if you go to the super hotels and restaurants like “La Pergola” to name one; you will find that even the very simple and affordable fresh daily ingredients are presented with passion and care as the young Italian chefs don’t believe in chemicals shortcuts and molecular cuisine additives. The prices are not cheap, but 100 Euros for one person will be enough with a decent glass of wine.

But still the capital of Italy has this old school mentality where if you can go to a simple trattoria (not fast food) I am talking about the mom and pop little establishments. You’ll find here an honest cuisine executed with simple and affordable basic ingredients that doesn’t cost too much and can permit the chefs to cook what they have cooked all their lives at home to be deliver with the same honesty.

Plus on the bright side and the opposite of the French cuisine, Italian cuisine is made express and a la minute. The ingredients are fresher; they don’t need to be sold ASAP because otherwise they will be thrown away since the preparation was long and complicated. Therefore there is less waste and cooks in Italy can keep the budget in line. This secures the experience of a fresher and more honest cuisine.

Also remember what I said of the capital of Italy has this old school mentality? Well most chefs see the molecular trend as complicated and too process demanding and since this goes against the “a la minute” culture Italian chefs rather do things like we say “all’antica” old style. Therefore with a 100 Euros in a humble place you will get great food and have money left for the movies J

4. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or are it different every time?

Gianfranco: Nature and human creations can serve as a point of reference, but never as a point of inspiration. I think at least in my case, that inspiration comes from within. From a particular mental and emotional point in time, where all the muses and the right ingredients need to be in place to allow you to balance textures, flavors and colors in the right position and direction.

To allow you to create a flow of movement or an impression in time that allows others to feel how you felt in that particular second when I conceived that particular menu combination or dish presentation. But more important is to never create thinking on what others may think of my culinary creativity and artistic expression. Culinary Arts is a personal state and must be never judged. At least not by others rather than yourself.

5. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Gianfranco: In a nutshell: 100% Natural + 100% Honestly and Creatively Prepared + 100% Chemicals and Additives Free. Even if it is presented in a humble way, it needs to have the essentials of Cultural Basic Ingredients and Honest Process to be defined as: Good Food.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Corporate Executive & Michelin Starred Celebrity Chef Gianfranco Chiarini has earned the title of the most diverse chef globally. His activities range from, Michelin Restaurants, Super Deluxe Hotels, and R&D for the Retail, TV Personality, Book Writer, Restaurateur, and Global Consultant and possess the biggest network of culinary professionals with 15.000+ chefs on his private network at his disposal.

From Italian origins he grew up between Italy, Venezuela and the U.S. He joined the Instituto de Alta Gastronomia de Caracas in the early 90s, from where he graduated as an International Chef.

Later, returned to the United States and graduated with a master’s degree from the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute. In Paris, France, he attended the Cordon Bleu, earning Le Grand Diplome Culinaire. Finally in Italy he earned the honourable membership of Executive Chefs of La Gran Accademia della Cucina Italiana. He has worked and trained to Michelin standards under great chefs in Italy and France

He has been directly involved in the management, menu designing, prototype and product development, as well as the opening, of luxury Hotels, Culinary Centres and many restaurants in the U.S.A., Venezuela, the Caribbean, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Dubai, Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Turkey, Hong Kong and India.

Selected as best chef in the Persian Gulf 2005 & 2006, by the acclaimed "Chaine des Rotisseurs" for their gala dinners.

Chef Chiarini has served personalities such as: His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, AMIR of Kuwait (*1926+2006), U.S President Jimmy Carter and his wife, The Presidents of the African Union, Princess Amira al-Taweel and her husband the Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani Emir from Qatar, Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Vice President of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi, and many more.

Specialties: Multi Continental Cuisine, Culinary & Scientific research for new gastronomic trends, Molecular and Bio Cuisine, Design/Development of exciting new culinary concepts, Close networking with 15.000+ chefs around the globe in six continents. For more information on the chef; click on this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianfranco_Chiarini

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Tim Tibbitts cooking skills

The biography of Chef Tim Tibbitts

Interview with Chef Tim Tibbitts:

1. Tesi: Dear Chef Tim, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Tim: I always loved food and cooking but my first love was playing music. I tried to balance both music and food for most of my career until my early thirties when I focused completely on food. The first dish I ever cooked was Duck a’L’Orange from a french culinary classics book when I was 12 years old. My mother asked why I didn’t try something easier. I said because if it didn’t go well I had a good excuse because it was so difficult. If I messed up spaghetti there was nowhere to hide. I think it went well although looking back now I’m quite sure I overcooked the duck.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Tim: I believe without a doubt the most underrated cuisine in the world is Vietnamese. Everyone knows about Japanese or Chinese or Thai or even Korean for their own food identity. But most people have no knowledge of the beauty and simplicity of Vietnamese food. Vietnamese food is the perfect example of the freshest produce served simply with perfect balance and harmony of flavours. Sweet, spicy, salty and sour always in perfect balance. I love Asian flavours but these are definitely my

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Tim: As an eater it would be difficult to narrow down one dish but I think a really good bowl of Pho beef noodle soup would be close to my perfect comfort food. Absolutely spectacular flavour when made well. It’s just so comforting. My favourite dish I have made is my signature; grilled calamari with kalamata olive, confit garlic, capers, tomato and brown butter. Simple but a great complexity of flavour in every bite. We have used modern technique to make this dish more exciting to eat with reverse spherification of the olives and turning the brown butter into a powder that melts on your tongue. Still very traditional Mediterranean flavours but with a very modern twist.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Tim: These are two completely different questions and the answers are opposite. If you want to make cooking your career you must first take the plunge and go to culinary school. You may not like it but it gives you a good set of basics to work from. After that try to stage in all the restaurants you admire. Work for free to pad your resume. Then work as hard as you can to get into a top quality kitchen and absorb as much information as you can. I wish I had travelled more and worked for some bigger named chefs when I was younger as it would have made my journey faster. As it was I had to prove myself many times as an unknown head chef to establish my reputation.

If you simply want to become a better home cook just immerse yourself in cookbooks, maybe take a class or two but most important; have fun. Cooking should be enjoyable not a chore. When your hobby becomes work then you will quickly abandon your hobby.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Tim: Every menu is different. Mostly we work from the seasons. Each season brings a different set of ingredients to the front. Being on an island in the Bahamas, our biggest products are the seafood that are in our water. The migratory species are very seasonal: Tuna, Mahi-mahi, Wahoo are very seasonal fish as they move through our waters. Then lobster and stone crab have a season that they are allowed to be caught. The vegetables and fruit also are seasonal, using the freshest ingredients we can. When it comes to designing a dish, the inspirations come from all over the place. Travelling always spurs creative bursts. Even a day at the beach can produce a dish. We have taken a nod from Heston Blumenthal’s “Sound of the Sea” dish to recreate a day at the beach here. Different sea vegetables with edible sand, edible stones, different fish and shellfish, topped with sea foam. Ideas can come from anywhere. A trip to Koreatown in Toronto this year spawned a dish of pickled shrimp with Korean flavours including housemade kimchee.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Tim: Good food to me simply means taking the best available ingredients and treating them with respect. Everything scratchmade and carefully prepared. I enjoy something as simple as a great burger. But it’s still better when freshly ground and treated with care, cooked perfectly and dressed simply. Spectacular presentations do not make food great. It makes food pretty but the flavours are what hold your memory. Presentation is important but not as important as flavour and texture. A great dish should be easy to get to the end of and still want another bite. If you eat half of a dish and are happy with that, the dish was not successful.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Chef Tim Tibbitts was born in Nassau, Bahamas and grew up in Toronto, Canada. His interest in food goes well back into his childhood. The ethnic diversity of Toronto has always played a large part in his style having spent so much of his youth in the ethnic communities of one of the most multicultural cities in the world. His passion for Asian flavors stems from this time and was a major factor in starting his apprenticeship in the early 90's.

Tim enrolled in the Canadian Apprenticeship Program at Toronto's famed George Brown College, School of Culinary Arts. There he learned the basics of classic European cuisine, which he applied first under his mentor Roger Genoe. It was during this time that Tim developed his respect for great ingredients and technique that is still the hallmark of his style.

After many years of working through the ranks of small high-end kitchens in the Toronto area, Tim along with his wife, Sommelier Rebecca Tibbitts, decided to make a move back to the Bahamas. After successfully opening and running a modern Asian restaurant and sushi bar, Tim decided it was time to start working for himself.

Starting with the creation of his company 99/1 Food Services Management in 2009, Tim has created a brand throughout the Bahamas. In February of 2012 Tim realized a dream by opening his own restaurant, Flying Fish, in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Flying Fish is the only restaurant in the Bahamas using modernist techniques to explore the flavors of the Caribbean. Local products used in various ways exploring all the ethnic influences of Chef Tim from around the world entertain diners every night. His commitment to quality and sustainability of the products are paramount at Flying Fish. Flying Fish was recently named the best restaurant in The Bahamas and one of the Top 5 Restaurants in the Caribbean by travelvoyager.com. It is a dining experience like no other in the Bahamas.

Currently Tim is also a staff writer for the Freeport News with his column "Food For Thought" printed twice weekly. He is also a contributing writer for Bob Izumi's Real Fishing magazine in Canada as a guest chef, and is currently in production of his first TV series titled "Caught In Paradise" where he explores the beauty and bounty of the Bahamas in a new concept of food show.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant

Impressions of Chef Marcilio's cooking skills

The biography of Chef Marcilio Galeano

An interview with Chef Marcilio Galeano:

1. Tesi Some chefs discover their love for food and their gift for preparing outstanding dishes quite late, while for others it is clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. When did you discover your ability to prepare food that is far beyond the norm?

Chef Marcilio: The branch of gastronomy covers many areas, from culinary and cultural history to beverages. But I always wondered why we don’t talk about food’s relationship with the soul and destiny? It may seem a bit nonsensical at first, but for those who feel what I feel, they will soon realize what I'm getting at: Why is it that God writes straight with crooked lines?

I remember like it was yesterday: The end of the year had arrived, and I was on my way to a small town called Caracol in the interior of Mato Grosso do Sul. I was with my mother, who was wondering what I was going to do. I stepped onto that land that smelled of farm, of a woody forest, and I was out of the car, running across the pasture behind the chickens, pigs, sheep, and everything that moved in front of me.

I remember we arrived at dusk, and my adventures would begin the next day. Around six o'clock in the morning, I got up and, barely clinging to a glass of milk, I broke toward the corral where my uncle was milking. It was automatic; it was stronger than me, this urge to drink milk straight from the source.

During my time there we made cheeses and sweets; we fished and hunted; we killed chicken, pork, and beef. However, the thing that really struck me was that everything I ate was followed by the slightest touch of my fingers in my mouth, and I have repeated that motion uncontrollably for almost thirty years. When people ask me what it was that started my passion for food, several answers always come, but sitting here today, I’ve come to the real answer: It was born in the act of licking my fingers.

Looking back now, I realize with an aching soul that time does not return to us. I've done a bit of everything over the years! Today though, as a chef, I behave like a man without neglecting the spirit of a child. I never stop dreaming; I always crave something new. I am always trying to pull a smile from a customer. With that I am sure I know my story, I know how it happened, I know how it is happening, but don’t ask me for the future because every day I write a new page in my story. But then I ask myself: Do you really know your history? Do you know the recipe for your gift or the exact measure for a successful future? I would say to reflect often, smile, live, and cook... a lot.

3. Tesi: A young and talented chef is trying to decide whether to turn their talent into a career or to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Marcilio: As we know,young people area bitstubborn. I havedirect and constant contactwithyoung peoplewho want to bechefs. WheneverI talk to them, I tell themto spend a fewdaysin akitchen toknow the reality. You have to truly love it because without it,this professionjust isn’tpossible. Even knowing this, inBrazil, 80% of people who studyculinaryschooldrop outafterone year.

4, Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu, or is it different every time?

Chef Marcilio: I live in themiddle of Brazil. I find it difficultto buyingredients,and peopleare still adjustingthe appreciation ofterroir.

My ideaslargely depend on themarket andmy clients’ knowledge – some are less open to new products than others. On the otherhand,I’m inspired bymy studies and by what I findthebest on the marketandat the momentI'm living. So,each menuhas its own inspiration.

Grilled Prime Rib[Prime Rib seasoned with salt and rosemary grilled in oliveoil, accompanied by mashed cassava and mini onionsflambadas in brazilian cachaça and glazed with rapadura]

Pictures of the restaurant:

Impressions of Chef Marcilio's cooking skills:

The biography of Chef Marcilio Galeano:

Marcílio Galeano has been accumulating experience in the field of gastronomy since 2004. It began in England, where he had his first contact with the kitchen. Like every beginning, he began wiping restaurant floors in the worldwide fast food company, Burger King. From there doors opened, and he landed jobs in other British companies.

During the absence of a cook in a pub where he worked, Marcílio was named to replace him. Afterwards, he was invited to work in the kitchen. Back in Brazil, Marcílio began a course in cooking at Senac MS. A totally unforgettable experience, he decided to conquer many tastes.

Marcílio has worked in several restaurants, including the Italian coffee shop, Caffe Dei (in the UK) and also spent a season on the ship, Splendour of the Seas, which gave him the opportunity ​​to experience countries like Greece, Turkey, and Morocco.

Soon after, he received an invitation to teach a course in basic cooking at Aquidauna, Mato Grosso do Sul. Upon returning to the capital, he took a University extension course in Kitchen Instructor Development in Águas de São Pedro, São Paulo.

After completing the course, he accepted an invitation to join the faculty of the cooking course of Senac Instructor Professional Education Gastronomy, upper level, where he worked for two years. The highlight of his career was being invited to participate in Super Chef 2011, the More You program, broadcast by Rede Globo and commanded by Ana Maria Braga. Marcílio says that, "It was another amazing experience. I met wonderful people and had the opportunity to show who I am. I was not the winner, but just being there was a victory! "

“In the kitchen, we act like real men without neglecting the spirit of a child! We must understand our differences. We respect and often believe the unbelievable. There is always something to learn. Here, we are all students and teachers where we can exchange techniques, experiences, opinions, tastes, and knowledge. Thankfully, we can categorically state that, in the kitchen, there is no absolute truth. Everything can be transformed, and we can put a bit of ourselves into everything.”

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Wenninger‘s cooking skills

Interview with Chef Wenninger:

1. Tesi: Dear Chef Marco Wenninger, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Wenninger: When I was a little boy and stayed with my grandma in the kitchen, I developed a interest to cook, first for my grandma and family, later for my friends.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Wenniger: ...the Scandinavian cuisine is for me the most underrated cuisine. Regular if you hear Scandinavian cuisine you only think about herring and ham and as well the German cuisine because the description of the German cuisine is simpler and not very light. Both cuisines are more exclusive as it seems.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Wenniger: I’ll say: if you feel that cooking is deep in your heart do it professional not for hobby

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Wenninger: Both, as well I visit markets to see all various foods or read a lot of books and newspapers. As well I’ll like to do a combination between old and new cuisine.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Matthias Gfrörer's cooking skills

The biography of Chef Matthias Gfrörer

An interview with Chef Matthias Gfrörer:

1.Tesi: Dear Chef Matthias, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, while for some it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Matthias: It was always a great pleasure to cook with both of my grandmothers. Those days were the basis for my love of food and traditional tastes, my love of gardening, and the old methods to preserve food for winter.

It was during an internship that I became fascinated by the opportunity to become a chef during. After my internship, I started my career as a professional chef in “Vier Jahreszeiten” – one of the best restaurants in Hamburg. That experience was an intense and formative time for me.

Chef Matthias: ... the food prepared by the caring, home-cooking mothers in all different kinds of regions. This tradition earns a lot of respect, as good food found its roots in that cuisine far before any glamorous gourmet food.

Chef Matthias: My favourite dish is the one that really tells a story and where taste and aroma can be enjoyed without too many frills on the plate. Tradition is important, and a good flavour is always unique and easy to indentify.

4.Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision to turn their talent into a professional career or to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Matthias: I would recommend that they try different possible routes and reflect on the opportunities. Being a chef is hard but should always be done with passion. A professional chef who loves his job has actually made his hobby into a job – that’s the best thing that can happen to you!

5.Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu, or does it differ every time?

Chef Matthias: My mentors influenced me a lot! However, when it comes to being inspired, I know only one way: Be as close as possible to the ingredients and nature. Study how they grow and taste. If you do that for a while, you will be overwhelmed by inspiration and ideas.

Chef Matthias: Using sustainable products and ingredients is the most honest thing we have for cooking. Preserving and protecting these ingredients is the way to secure a good future for our children. You only can find a vision of good food when you are close to nature.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Jean-Christian's cooking skills

The biography of Chef Jean-Christian Jury

Interview with Chef Jean-Christian Jury:

1. Tesi: Dear Jean-Christian, your passion is vegan food. Your restaurants mission is described on your website to prepare and serve vegan food on a gourmet standard far beyond the stereotype of “alternative and hippie image”. Can you describe what set you up for that mission and what drives you forward?

Jean: 2-3 million years ago we were still running around barefoot and living in trees like our close relatives, the monkeys. Natural catastrophes and long periods of ice ages probably forced us to leave the safety of the trees and our natural habitats to find our food, and it is possibly during those long cold periods that we changed our original plant based diet. In today's world, we have to deal with stress on a daily basis; the fast pace imposed on modern society has a very negative impact on the quality our diet. Poor food choices and a stressful life make for a very dangerous combination. Food is the fuel for our cells and in consequence, for our body. To recharge our batteries we need energy, minerals, enzymes, healthy fats, correct proteins, micronutrients and vitamins. Processed and fast food is the enemy of health. Eating the right combination of fresh produce will give your body the energy it needs and will protect you from chronic diseases. Supplying your body with the right nutrition makes you smarter, leaner and stronger. Balanced vegan and raw food diets are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fibre and can decrease the chances of suffering from obesity, diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Well-planned plant-based diets are suitable for all age groups and stages of life.

La Mano Verde was not founded for ethical reasons, but primarily for the love for food and a desire to create something healthy and very special in the culinary world. The inspiration behind La Mano Verde are the wonders of an all-plant cuisine, served in a comfortable and sophisticated setting, and my wish to share such pleasures of dining with everyone with fresh natural ingredients and artistry on the plate. Our team is primarily motivated in offering a professional and exquisite fine dining experience to our customers, but the positive impact we have on human health and that of our planet is more than welcome.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is “Plant Based” Vegan and Raw Food.

Jean: La Mano Verde being a unique concept, our decision to cook with only 100% animal free products has proven that nothing needs to be sacrificed to provide a fine dining standard of cuisine and service in a totally plant-based restaurant. We are also helped by society's ever-growing understanding of the benefits of eating balanced and healthy diets together with the need to adopt more protection towards our planet.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Jean: My favourite dish is an “Algae Salad” called Salade de la Mer, made with fresh Sea Asparagus (Salicornes), Wakame, Gracilaria Algaes, Young Coconut Meat, Dehydrated Muscat Grapes and a Lime and Curcuma Root Dressing. This dish is made of “Super Food” containing all minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre your body needs to boost your level of energy and immune system.

4. Tesi: I give you €300 to spend on a dinner in London or €100 to spend on a dinner in Berlin. Which city would you pick and why?

Jean: What about €300 in Berlin? Margaux Restaurant with Michelin Star Chef Michael Hoffmann which offers a vegetarian menu called “Voyage de Legumes” 7 courses at €140 p.p.

Quite a price for a one star restaurant but, given the quality of ingredients, preparation and overall creativity it is worth every cent :>)

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Jean: It is different every time. I am learning new techniques and mix new flavours daily. Last week I created a creamy truffle mushroom risotto sauce with dark chocolate and almonds, today I worked on creating sweet raw sushi, rolled in fresh home made fruit Nori sheet, a new dish probably added to the Degustation Menu for the World Gourmet Festival :>)

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Jean: Good food has to be garden fresh and regional. I will never compromise with the quality of the ingredients used in my cooking. I go to the regional organic market my self to make sure the ingredients meet our standard. All products including wines are all coming from organic suppliers.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

10% discount offered to reservations made through World Gourmet Festival Website

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Jean-Christian's cooking skills:

Biography of Chef Jean-Christian Jury:

Work in the hospitality industry since 1972.Tiffany’s Group AG from 1974 to 1981, pre-opening and opening operations of entertainment centres with hotels, restaurant, casino and cinemas in several European countries. From 1982 to 1999 worked in South-East Asia and Pacific for hotel-restaurant groups, pre-opening and opening operations, back to United Kingdom in 2000, opening 3 new restaurants in London, 1 concept restaurant in Colchester, 1 concept restaurant in Chelmsford. Developing a new “Plant Based “concept in Berlin, Germany since July 2008.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant

Impressions of Chef's cooking skills

The Chef's biography

Interview with Chef Niccolo' Di Riu:

1. Tesi: Some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Answer: Since I was a boy I always had a passion for cooking (helping my mother while she was cooking) but, then having cooperated with great Chefs such as Fabrizio Innocenti of the Grand Hotel in Florence and Giuseppe Dalla Rosa of the Westin Excelsior in Florence, I learned new culinary tecniques, which allow you to work ingredients in an unconventional way.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Answer: South American cuisine and in particula Brasilian, because it has a large variaty of ingrediants and primary goods that are admirable to us in Europe. I'm sure that soon we'll here that this type of cuisine will make headway.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish

Answer: I have many, but the dish that I'll never get fed up of eating are Melanzane alla Parmigina. A delight of flavours which make this dish an Italian cuisine cult.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Answer: I would incourage to ingage in this beautiful profession.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Answer: Changing menu each season, I Cambiando il menu ogni stagione, I rely greatly on firstfruits that market offers at this time of year. I take into consideration, climatic changes (during the summer I create a lighter and less caloric menu in coparison to the winter one)

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Answer: Fresh product with sophisticated and righteous pairings, which should serve to enhance the simplicity of individual flavours without covering the taste.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Born in Florence in 1980, since I was a boy I always showed a great interest in cooking. Therefore since 1996, still very young, I started my career in many famous Florentine restaurants and hotels and not only. The passion for good food, the attention for details, curiosity for innovation, bring me to create a creative cuisine that at its base has particular attention to the quality of the products used, matches the union between simplicity in various combinations. From Jannuary 2013 I'll start my collaboration as Executive Chef with the Portofino restaurant in Florence.

Hungary / Costes

World Gourmet Society Festival

Please note that the World Gourmet Society Festival will take place in Costes from March5th to March 31st

In this section you can review:

An interview with Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA ‘s cooking skills

The biography of Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA

An interview with Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA:

1.Tesi: Dear Chef Miguel, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA: There wasn’t a Eureka moment when I realised ‘I’m great at this’. It was more a case of me having cooking classes as part of a course and realising food was something I was truly passionate about (as you can read in my biography) And when you love something that much it becomes a pleasure rather than a chore so I guess it’s easier to be “good at it…”

2.Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA: That’s a good question because the most ‘underrated’ is very different to the ‘best’. I love Spanish, Italian, French and Japanese food as much as the next guy but these are cuisines that you find in any big city.

The same can’t be said of Portuguese food. It’s an incredibly rich, diverse and creative cuisine that very often uses only the freshest ingredients and is completely different from region to region. Hopefully the rest of the world will learn to appreciate it sooner rather than later.

3.Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA: Fresh seafood. It doesn’t need to be prepared in a special way or have any fancy ingredients. Very often a bit of salt and lemon is all it needs. I love it because there are so many different types of it and it reminds me of the sea.

4.Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA: Another good question. Being a Chef is one of the best jobs in the world but people thinking about doing it as a career must realise what they’re getting themselves into. You don’t just rock up and make nice food in your own time. You start at the bottom, work long and unsocial hours and almost always under the utmost pressure. Cooking for fun has little or no pressure attached to it and that’s the key difference. So my advice is that they spend at least a few weeks in the ‘pressure cooker’ of a busy kitchen to get a feel of what the job is really about and ask themselves how much they really want it. If it’s too much for them then get a nice comfortable desk job!

5.Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA: There isn’t a formula for inspiration or at least I don’t have one.Inspiration can come anytime from anywhere really. From travelling, from the seasons of the year, from books or fellow Chefs. Sometimes in a busy service or in the middle of the night at home. It depends…

6.Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Miguel Rocha VIEIRA: It means that whoever is eating it enjoys it! An omelette or a simple pasta dish can be just as good as a dish using rare and expensive ingredients that took hours to prepare and we can’t all be eating complex dishes all the time. If you use healthy, fresh ingredients and put a bit of love into your cooking you’re halfway there to making good food.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Miguel left his home country – Portugal - at the age of 20 to go to England and study Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management at the City of London College. During the second year of the same course Miguel was lucky enough to find what he believes is his vocation in one cooking class.

“Since that very first cooking class I realized I was in the wrong place. It’s difficult to put your feelings into words but I suddenly realized that that degree wasn’t made for me and what I really wanted was to be a Chef.

In the very same day, when I arrived home I started to look at the cooking schools around and a couple of weeks later I was enrolled at one of the most prestigious cooking schools in the world, the Cordon Bleu”

The rest is history as they say.

After graduating in Cuisine and Pastry from the Cordon Bleu Miguel did his apprenticeship in London and then went to France and later Spain learning with the best in the profession.

In 2008 Miguel was invited to come to Budapest and open the Costes Restaurant.

Costes quickly become a reference not only in Hungary but in an international level too. In less than 2 years Costes was awarded the very first Michelin star in Hungary – award that has been kept since then – and, many other important national and international recognitions.

“We don’t cook for the awards or recognitions, we do it for our guests but, and saying that, if on top of it we have our work recognized by the important guides in the industry is the icing on top of the cake”

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Edwin Vinke‘s cooking skills

The biography of Chef Edwin Vinke

An interview with Chef Edwin Vinke:

1.Tesi: Chef Edwin, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, while for some it is clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

4.Tesi: A young and talented chef is deciding whether to turn their talent into a professional career or to develop their cooking skills as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Edwin: I’d advise them to take the professionalcourse,even though it isnot easyto survive inour profession. But, onceyou catch the bug,you don’t want to do anything else, which givesour professionso muchvariety and is what makes it fun. It's thebest profession there is.

In 1993, together with my wife, Blanche, and our young kitchen brigade, we opened our restaurant, De Kromme Watergang, located between Hoofdplaat and Breskens in a small hamlet called Slijkplaat.

It appeared from the outset to be a success. The neighborhood is sparsely populated, but we have mainly local guests, as well as many Belgian guests. Despite being very remotely located, the pursuit of perfection remains our motto.

We have grown into a modern restaurant with a large water garden to the rear, a modern patio/terrace, and koi. The restaurant seats 50 and features a separate aperitif room, a climate-controlled wine room, and an open kitchen with modern décor. We can also seat 25 on the terrace of the water garden.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

The biography of Chef Tim Freemann

An interview with Chef Tim Freemann:

1. Tesi: Dear Chef Tim, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Tim: I worked for an amazing Chef before culinary school named Craig O’ Brien. He was and still is my mentor. It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized how much better of a cook I was than my classmates.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Tim: Filipino cuisine. The food is very nice if it is prepared the right way. I enjoy eating my wifes Filipino cooking the most. Filipino food has a nice balance of salty, sour, sweet, and sometimes spicy(Please complete the sentence and explain why you rate the cuisine of your choice high)

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Tim: I love Pizza.. I have loved them since I was a kid.. a good crust, nice sauce and a little Mozzarella and I am set

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Tim: This business is incredibly stressful and long hours. Generally speaking when others are gathered for family events and holidays you will be working. A person should way the choices carefully before deciding on making this a career. You can make great money and travel if you choose to, but you have to be the best. Being the best means sacrificing time, dating, marriage, friends, and holidays. You have to be married to this business for 15 to 20 years before you begin to see rewards.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Tim: I usually write the first 5 ingredients that come into my mind on paper. No matter how strange the combinations are I try to make a dish work with those 5 ingredients.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Tim: Something that is simply prepared, using good ingredients, and enjoyed in the company of someone you love

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

3-Course Set Menu @ 3900Kshs p/p (Food only)*3-Course Wine Pairing Menu @ 5900Kshs p/pPrices are inclusive of all taxes & 5% service charge10% discount for reservations made through the World Gourmet Society

The biography of Chef Tim Freemann:

I began my culinary career as a toddler, playing in my mothers pots and pans. At the age of 14 I really wanted a job to pay for my clothes in school. I lied about my age, pretending to be older just to get a job washing dishes for a Swedish Chef. My love for cooking really began when I started to wash dishes and clean floors. The Chef was a maniac, but he somehow instilled in me respect for the business.

At the age of 17 I went to culinary school. After a year of school I decided college wasn’t for me. I had worked for a really amazing Chef before college so I felt I wasn’t learning anything. I ended up leaving school and going to work for another great Chef, Wolfgang Puck.

Over the years I have worked in The White House, been a Sous Chef for the Governor of Ohio, and have opened many restaurants. I have worked in Moscow, Russia, Portugal, Philippines, and now in Kenya. I have always felt honoured to have a skill that allows me to travel the world and be the best at what I do.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Jonathan Karpathios cooking skills

The biography of Chef Jonathan Karpathios

An interview with Chef Jonathan Karpathios:

1. Tesi: Dear Chef Jonathan, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Jonathan: The turning point, when I started to love Real Food in my life came when I became a father. I felt responsible, raising him in a healthy environment. I discovered, the way I worked was polluting the word. I imported food from all over the world. I discovered producing meat and transporting food is one of the worst things I could do to nature. That’s why I started my own restaurant based on my principles, where I can cook as an ambassador for nature. Food, local, organic, seasonal, less meat, no fish.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Jonathan:Local Cuisine, where you can find on your plate what nature brings us local, appreciate what nature is giving us is underrated, the source which gives us unconditionally is so common sense that we forgot how special this is. Do you know a better business partner to work with?

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Jonathan: There is no dish in special I like, every saison brings new dishes. Beetroot is my favourite vegetable to grow and cook with, especially the yellow, chinochia variety because of its colour and taste.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Jonathan: Start to explore your source, look where your food comes from how it is produced. Does the farmer treated his animals or soil with care, does he loves his products? You are what you eat, so don’t eat: Fake, Fast, Cheap or Easy. When you look on this way it brings love in your kitchen en happiness on the table, I know for sure. That’s what it is all about.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef :Nature inspires me every day, again and again. Working together with her instead of only using her, gave me a totally different view. Try to understand her and you will have a total different way of working. Creativity will flow every day in your life and kitchen while harvesting or putting your seeds in the ground. The creation of a dish or menu starts, It is an organic process and never stops.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Jonathan: For me good food is: Tasty, locally produced or knowing your source, grown naturally without using pesticides and food from the season. The only way we can leave the world behind better for our children.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

"Discovering New Culinary Landscapes" is the topic of the World Gourmet Society festival.

We at Vork en Mes will serve that topic by offering you every day new dishes based on the most fresh local ingredients we get from our land and greenhouse. The harvest decides our menu and exist 7 courses all vegetarian. Depending on what nature brings the kitchen we will cook you a delicious menu.

Price; Menu 49 euro

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Jonathan Karpathios cooking skills:

The biography of Chef Jonathan Karpathios:

Jonathan Karpathios (born 21 may 1975) is a Dutch chef. Karpathios is known for his outspoken ideas about ‘real food’ and his passion for nature which is his biggest source of inspiration. He owns his own restaurant and a greenhouse.

Early life

Jonathan is the son of a Greek father and a Dutch mother. As a child Jonathan was a trouble at school. At the age of fifteen his father gave him a choice: boarding school or a training to be a cook and Jonathan choose the last option.

Career

When Karpathios was fifteen years old, he began working in the hospitality industry. He started at Cookschool Sint Hubertus in Amsterdam.

Karpathios worked as a cook in various Michelin Star award-winning restaurants, such as Grand Master Pierre Koffman (London).

He opened his restaurant late 2007, this coincided with the birth of his son. Becoming a father he asked himself essential things about life, which lead him to the question: How do I leave the world behind for my children? How do I take it my responsibility. The answer was simpler than the implementation ....

He realized that sustainability was incompatible with perfection in the kitchen. It didn’t feel right for Karpathios to be unaware of the origin of the products he used in the kitchen. He wanted to cook sustainable, with biological products from local farmers matching the different seasons of the year.

Thus began his quest to Real Food. Finding local organic vegetables and herbs proved difficult. He decided to look for the source, the people behind his products so he understands who the product is and how it came about. Karpathios nowadays keeps a close relationship with local farmers. He also works closely with an ecologist, a herborist, multiple care farms and with ‘Heemtuinen’ in the Haarlemmermeer, where he cultivates for his own restaurant. Karpathios. In 2011 he started his own greenhouse where he grows more then 250 variaties of herbs, flowers en vegetables. There he works with volunteers, where he grows whole years and shares the harvest with all of them.

In 2011 Karpathios initiated, with guidance of the Dutch Minister Gerda Verburg, the campaign No Waste to raise awareness about the food waste problem and to help prevent this problem.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

The biography of Chef Krystian Szidel

Interview with Chef Krystian Szidel:

1. Tesi: Dear Krystian, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Krystian: I discovered that I wanted to be a chef at the age of 13 years during the first trip to France

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Krystian: Maybe that Polish cuisine from the first half of the twentieth century, as mentioned in notes of Maria Ochorowicz-Monatowa who created one of the most famous culinary book with polish cuisine receipes, this very much determined philosophy of my cooking style.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Krystian: In fact, there are many dishes and a composition that I keen.however the most knocks me a taste of foie gras with bullfinches on fire beef

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Krystian: At his work, you need to sacrifice many things so you need a lot of determination and strength, I do not recommend this for young chefs who want to have a lot of time for themselves.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Krystian: I try to search for new products especially in my local area as this is one of main factors which determine flavors of my dishes. Tthen I try to combine this first in my head secondly I do experiment in the kitchen on my own and thirdly I do presentation for my team try to explain them philosophy and roots of my dish, afterwards I am of course open for any discussion but I rather stick to my versions.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Krystian: You can write this in very simple way : fresh, healthy, and least modified

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Main thing which we have taken under consideration creating our new winter menu was lifestyle our guests. During this period of time most of our hotel guests are business and conference people who are always in rush, chasing another meeting, plane not really having enough time for well balanced meal; as a corporate hotel we are of course obligate to promote healthy lifestyle and in our menu we tried to work with ingredients which would help us to achieve this and in the same time provide enough energy calories required by our bodies during autumn-winter time. Most of products used in our menu are seasonal, locally grown very easy accessible. As we have this advantage being sea side hotel surrounded by Kashubian forests we used of course delicious Baltic fishes and locally living game which allowed us to promote and support local suppliers. All created dishes in our menu use both old, traditional well known cooking techniques as well as modern as Sous Vide.

Born in 1975. in Gdynia (Poland)Since 1992 I had a chance to take part in a couple internships programs in France (Cannes)Among them was Olivier Bellin ** BretagneSince 2008 I have been working in the Sheraton Sopot Hotel Conference Center&Spa and last year after 4 years working in Banqueting Department as wellas being in charge of outlets such a Wave Restaurant I was promoted to role of Executive Chef

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef João Rodrigues ‘s cooking skills

The biography of Chef João Rodrigues

An interview with Chef João Rodrigues:

1.Tesi: Dear Chef Rodrigues, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Rodrigues: I discovered my passion for cooking at the age of 21. I’ve always loved food but never thought of cooking like something that I could do for a living. Then, naturally… it came to a point that it was clear for me that this would be my future

2.Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...Portuguese cuisine

Chef Rodrigues: I think that Portugal has the most outstanding products that one can imagine, the problem so far is that people don’t invest their time and money to be exceptional, they don’t work the presentation, they don’t high the products to another level. The weather conditions, the genesis, the sea, the land, the sun, the culture, are all in a very unspoiled state... but they have to be worked and brought to a different level... it’s up to us to make Portugal a brand that means high quality, because we naturally have some of the best products in the world ( fish is one without doubts)

3.Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Rodrigues: I don’t have a favourite dish, I love a lot of dishes, specially fish and seafood from the Portuguese coast (goose barnacles, clams, oysters, all kinds of fish, etc...)

4.Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Rodrigues: Cooking it’s not all about talent, it’s about: determination, passion, heart, a little bit of craziness and hard work. If they have all of these, they have to go professional.

5.Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Rodrigues: I get my inspiration from all that surrounds me, the city, the sea, people, the country, our traditions, etc.. I always carry a note book with me and I right all my ideas, then I think about them and try to transform it in something real. Sometimes they become real sometimes they don’t

6.Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Rodrigues:Above all... good, fresh, biological, homemade, home grow food. If you have good products all you have to do, is not to spoil it.

Flavour first, technique after...

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

All products are local, from small producers, all biological . The way we cook its base in our ancient traditions. Almost Everything is made in the restaurant even the cured cod

Chef João Rodrigues obtained a degree in Culinary & Pastry from the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo de Lisboa (Lisbon Hotel and Tourism School). His career background includes experiences at the Sheraton Hotel and the Lisboa Plaza Hotel.

He worked at the Bica do Sapato restaurant for 3 years. He also worked alongside Chef Sebastien Grospelier (2 Michelin star) at “Varanda “restaurant in the Ritz Hotel and with Chef Fausto Airoldi at “Pragma” restaurant in the Casino de Lisboa (Lisbon Casino) when it opened.

In 2007, he won the Chefe Cozinheiro do Ano ( Portuguese Chef of the Year) contest and participated in the WACS Mediterranean Challenge for teams ( two silver medals). Since 2008, he has been working at the Altis Belém & Spa Hotel, being from current year the Executive Chef

At the Feitoria Restaurant, he was awarded with a Michelin star for the 3rd consecutive year, his dishes are based on the roots and traditions of Portuguese gastronomy with a hint of exotic flavours from around the world, particularly those from the discovered territories of the Portuguese history.

Awards:

2007 Chefe Cozinheiro do Ano – Portuguese Chef of the Year2011/2012 One Michelin Star as Chef resident2013 One Michelin Star as Executive Chef

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Xavier Franco ‘s cooking skills

The biography of Chef Xavier Franco

Awards:

Premio Nadal 2003 to the Revelation Restaurant in Barcelona awarded by the Cookers and Pastry Chefs Guild from Barcelona

Best Young Chef of Catalonia in 2005 warded by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy.

1 Michelín Star from 2007.

Interview with Chef Xavier Franco:

1. Tesi: Dear Xavier, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Xavier Franco:The first time I said “I want to be a cook” I was seven. It was in a family dinner at my grand-parent country house at Les Borges Blanques in Lleida, land of olive and fruit trees my mother’s family used to grow. I helped my cousin that evening and we still remember that moment. From then on, the idea stayed in my mind, I knew what I wanted to be. The question came back when I finished my high school… and here I am!

2. Tesi:The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Xavier Franco:Without doubt, homemade meals are always undervalued. However much we compliment and remember the recipes from our moms and grandmas, they will never be recognized enough. Their meals bear witness of our memories and are the basis of any human being. The act of cooking and eating is an energetic communion within those fluctuating around. Cooking is culture; cooking are roots; cooking is an act of love and concern toward people.

3. Tesi: What is your favorite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Xavier Franco:It’s a dificult question because I like som many things! Coming back to what I mentioned before, when you feel unconditional love in the preparation of a food, the energetic shot you get is priceless.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Xavier Franco:Doubtless, he shoudl feel his heart. Cooking is an artisan profession you must let your emotions come out and let them flow, without too rational limits. I would tell him to think for a second in this question: do I want to make others happy? Because that is all about, unconditional love toward others will bring your energetic field higher and higher.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Xavier Franco:My basis is Catalan cuisine, and I play with tradition and combinations. This is my very first line of fire. A cook and his cuisine are related to its territory, and this should always be the cornerstone on which to build ideas and set limits. Then you can paint with new colors and explore, because your base is well-funded.

You can be inspired by a recipe, but in my case, most of the time I am inspired by the product. It’s the product that drives my thoughts until I find the perfect dress for that occasion and the most appropriate complements.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Xavier Franco:A good meal is the one able to uplift my spirit in any circumstance; it transmits honesty and intentionality. And if it is shared with my love ones, much better.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

SECRET INGREDIENTS OR GAME FOR EACH DISH

Mollusks BloodyMaryWhich are the molluscs?

Creamy Foie, Muscatel and Onions “crumble”Which is the citric?

Mountterrine, Picklesandblack TruffleWhat type of meat?

Tomato flatbread and Pickles, grilled Sardines and tender AlmondsWhat type of vinegar has been used in the sardine?

Truffled Rice with Milk What is the smoke made from? And the ice-cream?

Petit-fours

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Xavier Franco ‘s cooking skills:

Biography of Chef Xavier Franco:

In 1984, at the age of 14 he starts his education at the hospitality school Escola d’Hosteleria Sant Narcís in Girona and for the 5 following years he combines education with several internships in restaurants and hotels in Costa Brava. His first job marked his career since he had the opportunity of working hand in hand with Santi Santamaría from El Racó de Can Fabes, at his best growing period, and contributing to the acquisition of the 2nd Michelin star of this emblematic establishment. He stayed three more years and then left to discover worldwide cuisines before coming back with Santamaria who already had the 3rd star. After two intensive years, at 26, he starts teaching at CETT school and does so for five years. There he met his partner, Anna Doñate, and both embark on the adventure of opening their own restaurant Saüc in 2002.

Beginnings are promising for Saüc, customers and gastronomic critics recognize his particular style and great command and respect for product. In 2004, Xavier was part of a young chefs group with new proposals in haute cuisine, in a closer way and far from unnecessary ornaments of former age. In the center of the kitchen democratization movement Xavier is considered one of the best Catalan chefs and after several awards, he is regarded by the red guide with a 1st Michelin star in 2007/2008.

By that time he lives between Beijing and Barcelona. At the Chinese capital he leads a Spanish restaurant, an experience that lasts for 30 months as a business but continues to influence his cuisine.

Back in Barcelona, in 2010 he receives the proposal of moving Saüc to the 5* hotel Ohla. He accepts and not only does he manage the restaurant but he is responsible for the overall gastronomic offer of the establishment. He has set a gastronomic countertop and a cocktail bar. This decision represents a substantial improvement of the working area, equipment and team, and has contributed to the growth of offer and a very promising near future.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Information regarding the restaurants

Pictures of the restaurant

The biography of Dharshan Munidasa

Our partner in Sri Lanka: Ayu in the Wild

Interview with Chef Dharshan Munidasa:

1. Tesi: Dear Dharshan, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Dharshan: As a college student in the US I found dorm food unpalatable and despised commercially made factory food. I missed food from both my home countries Japan and Sri Lanka and started trying to recreate my favourites. When I moved out of the dorms and started living in an apartment, I realized that if I didn’t cook right, I would die of starvation. So even then I worked out weekly menus and grocery lists and slowly started developing what I should eat, improving on it bit by bit. My apartment eventually became a ‘restaurant’ every Friday for Japanese students looking for food from home. Going to America, being a student and dealing with the lack of good food around me was the biggest reason I started to cook and discover that I could do something with it.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Dharshan: Yakitori. Food can be different based on country, region and ethnicity; but I also believe that cuisine is a micro genre within that sphere. For example in Japanese Cuisine, sushi, tempura and ramen are micro genres. Yakitori is one such genre, focused on grilled chicken and I think it is really underrated and insulting that they use the word Japanese BBQ to describe it, as it is one of the most amazing ways of cooking and attention to detail, plays a lot in getting the quality beyond the norm. I think Yakitori is really underrated even in Japan.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Dharshan: Very Tough one! It’s something that we make at Nihonbashi, though not on the menu - Gyu don, made with Japanese A5 Wagyu. Gyu Don is the simplest of Japanese Rice bowls and served as a complete meal. Though it’s made in many places you rarely find it made with good beef, so when it’s made out of Wagyu it becomes amazing, which is why this is probably one of my favourite dishes. A close second is the hamburger we make here – also out of Wagyu.

Then there’s the Tamago Gohan – Tamago is Egg and Gohan is Rice, and actually that’s all it’s made of. You take one of the most amazing eggs from Japan, which is Orange in colour and sweet, add soya sauce, mix it up and pour over hot rice. If the rice is just made and if say, it’s from Niigata Prefecture then it adds a whole new dimension to make this dish even greater than it is.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Dharshan: Keep an open mind, keep on learning and never think that you know everything, especially taste, textures and aromas, because the more you eat, the more you cook, the more you travel, you will see different ingredients, wines, plates and meet a variety of chefs and sommeliers, who will add to your experience.

They need to gain these experiences and at one point they will know for themselves that they are about to take that leap, but they have to be talented enough to understand that.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Dharshan: Mostly from Ingredients. I keep looking for fun and amazing ingredients, be it in Fish markets, lagoons, the ocean, anywhere really; and when I find some way of getting my hands on it, I tend to create 2 or 3 dishes around it. On the other hand sometimes a plate would inspire me. It would be so beautiful that I would want it in one of my restaurants on a table, which gets me thinking of what ingredients I have or go in search of one particular ingredient to create a dish for that plate. Thirdly it would be when a guest of the restaurant challenges me to impress them with a menu. Then if we have the creative budgets we can do a lot; also seasons, time, place and occasion would come into play here. Again, not trying to copy someone else’s menu or concept, but be totally brand new.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Dharshan: It means everything! As human beings we eat 3 meals or more per day and it should always be good food. Not having something good is a wasted opportunity, can be the simplest dish or the most extra ordinary ingredient, good food is something very personal and should be enjoyed every day.

An introduction to A Moving Feast:

A Moving Feast is hosted at two restaurants for one culinary adventure:‘Gourmet in the Wild’ – a unique culinary safari with a wildlife and heritage flavour across Sri Lanka hosted by the safari specialists Ayu in the Wild Safaris Sri Lanka (www.ayuinthewild.com). The menu aims to showcase the eclectic haute cuisine in two fine dining restaurants in Colombo, setting an interesting contrast to the culinary diversity that would be experienced by a gourmet traveller on the off-beat adventure crafted by Ayu in the Wild deep in the rural wilderness across Sri Lanka. Capitalizing on his Sri Lankan and Japanese dual heritage Chef Dharshan Munidasa has crafted a menu capturing the best of Sri Lanka’s famed seafood and authentic Japanese cuisine fused with local ingredients. As the menu moves across Dharshan’s restaurants Ministry of Crab and Nihonbashi, it provides an added element of changing ambiance that complements the different dishes, creating a unique culinary experience.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Garlic Rice Maki[Garlic Rice rolled in nori and served on a sizzling rock]

1 pot of Sake

Price

Nett Per Person. USD 62/-

A Food Host will be made available for reservations of above 8 pax. Price with Food Host, Nett Per Person – USD 74.00/-

10% discount offered to reservations made through World Gourmet Festival Website

Note:

Prior reservation 24 hours ahead is required

Minimum 2 pax

The Gourmet Traveller needs to arrange for transfer between the two restaurants set within an approx 10 minute drive from each other.

The Restaurants:

Nihonbashi

Known for being at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s culinary scene and for its dedication to serving fresh produce Nihonbashi is a restaurant with an international mindset. Founded 18 years ago by Dharshan Munidasa who is of mixed Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage, the restaurant has not only served consistently excellent authentic Japanese food, but has continued to go from strength to strength. It is for these high standards, and its determination to push the envelope that Nihonbashi has garnered international attention over the past few years, becoming the only Sri Lankan restaurant to have ever made it into San Pellegrino’s list of “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”, ranking #38 in the 2013 edition, as well as being awarded the best restaurant in Sri Lanka.

In a country where too often restaurants are happy to imitate a pre-existing model, Nihonbashi has always tried to do something a little less conventional. This is evident in its dedication to procuring only the highest quality ingredients, and is committed to using locally sourced ingredients to as great an extent as possible. Nihonbashi is the only restaurant in Sri Lankan that intercepts Japan grade export tuna (European grade tuna not being of sufficient quality) before it is sent to the famous Tsukiji fish market in Japan. As well as ensuring the freshness of ingredients, locally sourcing produce also serves to reduce the restaurant’s carbon print, a fact of which Nihonbashi, as an environmentally responsible restaurant, is proud.

The dining options at Nihonbashi are many, from small plates to 10 Course dinner set menus, and there is something to appeal to everyone. With its seven private dining rooms the restaurant is perfect for business dinners, couples, families with children, and foodies.

For cutting edge cuisine, the freshest ingredients and innovative dishes exclusive to the restaurant, Nihonbashi is one restaurant definitely worth a visit.

The best of Sri Lanka’s crabs, commonly held to be the best crabs in the world, have for decades been more easily available internationally than in Sri Lanka itself. It was an interest in rectifying this situation, among other things, which brought together Cricketing Legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and Chef Dharshan Munidasa, to form the Ministry of Crab: The first restaurant in Sri Lanka dedicated to serving export quality crabs. Launched in 2011, the restaurant, which is housed in the renovated 400 year old Dutch Hospital, has proved an instant success.

The crabs served at the restaurant really are a breed apart. Not only are these crabs bigger than your average, with the biggest crab served to date weighing an impressive 3.2kgs, but they also have both claws intact, which means they are rich in dark, flavoursome claw meat.

The ingredients used at the Ministry of Crab aren’t just the best, but also the freshest. Sourced and served in Sri Lanka, there is no way these crabs could be served to you as fresh anywhere else in the world. In fact, Ministry of Crab employs a daring no freezers policy, claiming, “the only use we’ve found for freezers is to store our food refuse prior to disposal,” as the co-owners believe that freezing both detracts from the taste and renders redundant the use of fresh produce.

The restaurant’s commitment to showcasing the best of Sri Lanka extends beyond its use of local produce. It is one of few fine dining restaurants in Colombo to serve local dishes, with standout items such as the Pol Sambol, which is scraped on order, and the the Small Island Iced Tea, a local take on the traditional Long Island Iced Tea, which is a combination of Arrack & natural iced tea.

Unique in its dedication to showcasing the best of Sri Lanka’s produce, Ministry of Crab has begun to change the face of Colombo’s culinary scene, and recently received due recognition by being awarded the Number One Restaurant in Sri Lanka in the 2013 Edition of the Miele Guide.

Not a formally trained chef, Dharshan Munidasa’s love of food began; he likes to say, on the other side of the equation: eating.

A celebrated chef and restaurateur he is best known for having founded Nihonbashi Japanese Restaurant and Ministry of Crab, two of Sri Lanka’s most successful restaurants, as well as for his role as the host of the popular TV series Culinary Journeys with Dharshan.

Launching his career while in his early twenties with the opening of Nihonbashi, Dharshan has spent the last 19 years ensuring that his restaurants have become the most sought after, not only within the country, but also the region.

The simplicity of Japanese cuisine highlights the quality of the ingredients used, and Dharshan, who is of mixed Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage, is very conscious of the ingredients he uses. He often visits the Negombo fish market to select the best of Sri Lanka’s export quality tuna before it is shipped to the famous Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, a grass roots task which many chef-owners would delegate. From creating original dishes, to sourcing ingredients, it is Dharshan’s hands-on involvement and his meticulous attention to detail that has ensured the consistently high standards of his restaurants.

With his TV series Dharshan has consistently aimed to educate the public about the quality of ingredients, particularly seafood found locally, as he feels that teaching the public is a role which not enough restaurateurs undertake.

It is for his unending commitment to food that Dharshan has been invited to prepare $400 per head Japanese degustation menus in various establishments in India and the Maldives; including the Conrad, Four Seasons, Huvanfenfushi, and various Six Senses properties, all in the Maldives, and most recently for the International Food and Wine Society in India.

Considered an innovator in his field, Dharshan is known to push boundaries and this has resulted in both his restaurants, Ministry of Crab and Nihonbashi, respectively obtaining the coveted first and second places in Sri Lanka for outstanding cuisine in the 2013 edition of The Miele Guide (Asia’s first independent restaurant guide). Nihonbashi also has the distinction of being the only Sri Lankan restaurant to have ever made it into San Pellegrino’s list of “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”, ranking #38 in the 2013 edition, as well as being awarded the best restaurant in Sri Lanka.

Our partner in Sri Lanka: Ayu in the Wild:

Ayu in the Wild safaris, Sri Lanka - Creators of the exciting 'Gourmet in the Wild' series of culinary adventures across the wilderness in Sri Lanka. Specialists in exclusive small-group wildlife safaris, natural history expeditions, photography safaris & Junior Rangers safaris for kids.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Information regarding the restaurants

Pictures of the restaurant

The biography of Dharshan Munidasa

Our partner in Sri Lanka: Ayu in the Wild

Interview with Chef Dharshan Munidasa:

1. Tesi: Dear Dharshan, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef Dharshan: As a college student in the US I found dorm food unpalatable and despised commercially made factory food. I missed food from both my home countries Japan and Sri Lanka and started trying to recreate my favourites. When I moved out of the dorms and started living in an apartment, I realized that if I didn’t cook right, I would die of starvation. So even then I worked out weekly menus and grocery lists and slowly started developing what I should eat, improving on it bit by bit. My apartment eventually became a ‘restaurant’ every Friday for Japanese students looking for food from home. Going to America, being a student and dealing with the lack of good food around me was the biggest reason I started to cook and discover that I could do something with it.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Dharshan: Yakitori. Food can be different based on country, region and ethnicity; but I also believe that cuisine is a micro genre within that sphere. For example in Japanese Cuisine, sushi, tempura and ramen are micro genres. Yakitori is one such genre, focused on grilled chicken and I think it is really underrated and insulting that they use the word Japanese BBQ to describe it, as it is one of the most amazing ways of cooking and attention to detail, plays a lot in getting the quality beyond the norm. I think Yakitori is really underrated even in Japan.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef Dharshan: Very Tough one! It’s something that we make at Nihonbashi, though not on the menu - Gyu don, made with Japanese A5 Wagyu. Gyu Don is the simplest of Japanese Rice bowls and served as a complete meal. Though it’s made in many places you rarely find it made with good beef, so when it’s made out of Wagyu it becomes amazing, which is why this is probably one of my favourite dishes. A close second is the hamburger we make here – also out of Wagyu.

Then there’s the Tamago Gohan – Tamago is Egg and Gohan is Rice, and actually that’s all it’s made of. You take one of the most amazing eggs from Japan, which is Orange in colour and sweet, add soya sauce, mix it up and pour over hot rice. If the rice is just made and if say, it’s from Niigata Prefecture then it adds a whole new dimension to make this dish even greater than it is.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Dharshan: Keep an open mind, keep on learning and never think that you know everything, especially taste, textures and aromas, because the more you eat, the more you cook, the more you travel, you will see different ingredients, wines, plates and meet a variety of chefs and sommeliers, who will add to your experience.

They need to gain these experiences and at one point they will know for themselves that they are about to take that leap, but they have to be talented enough to understand that.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Dharshan: Mostly from Ingredients. I keep looking for fun and amazing ingredients, be it in Fish markets, lagoons, the ocean, anywhere really; and when I find some way of getting my hands on it, I tend to create 2 or 3 dishes around it. On the other hand sometimes a plate would inspire me. It would be so beautiful that I would want it in one of my restaurants on a table, which gets me thinking of what ingredients I have or go in search of one particular ingredient to create a dish for that plate. Thirdly it would be when a guest of the restaurant challenges me to impress them with a menu. Then if we have the creative budgets we can do a lot; also seasons, time, place and occasion would come into play here. Again, not trying to copy someone else’s menu or concept, but be totally brand new.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef Dharshan: It means everything! As human beings we eat 3 meals or more per day and it should always be good food. Not having something good is a wasted opportunity, can be the simplest dish or the most extra ordinary ingredient, good food is something very personal and should be enjoyed every day.

An introduction to A Moving Feast:

A Moving Feast is hosted at two restaurants for one culinary adventure:‘Gourmet in the Wild’ – a unique culinary safari with a wildlife and heritage flavour across Sri Lanka hosted by the safari specialists Ayu in the Wild Safaris Sri Lanka (www.ayuinthewild.com). The menu aims to showcase the eclectic haute cuisine in two fine dining restaurants in Colombo, setting an interesting contrast to the culinary diversity that would be experienced by a gourmet traveller on the off-beat adventure crafted by Ayu in the Wild deep in the rural wilderness across Sri Lanka. Capitalizing on his Sri Lankan and Japanese dual heritage Chef Dharshan Munidasa has crafted a menu capturing the best of Sri Lanka’s famed seafood and authentic Japanese cuisine fused with local ingredients. As the menu moves across Dharshan’s restaurants Ministry of Crab and Nihonbashi, it provides an added element of changing ambiance that complements the different dishes, creating a unique culinary experience.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Garlic Rice Maki [Garlic Rice rolled in nori and served on a sizzling rock]

1 pot of Sake

Price

Nett Per Person. USD 62/-

A Food Host will be made available for reservations of above 8 pax. Price with Food Host, Nett Per Person – USD 74.00/-

10% discount offered to reservations made through World Gourmet Festival Website

Note:

Prior reservation 24 hours ahead is required

Minimum 2 pax

The Gourmet Traveller needs to arrange for transfer between the two restaurants set within an approx 10 minute drive from each other.

The Restaurants:

Nihonbashi

Known for being at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s culinary scene and for its dedication to serving fresh produce Nihonbashi is a restaurant with an international mindset. Founded 18 years ago by Dharshan Munidasa who is of mixed Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage, the restaurant has not only served consistently excellent authentic Japanese food, but has continued to go from strength to strength. It is for these high standards, and its determination to push the envelope that Nihonbashi has garnered international attention over the past few years, becoming the only Sri Lankan restaurant to have ever made it into San Pellegrino’s list of “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”, ranking #38 in the 2013 edition, as well as being awarded the best restaurant in Sri Lanka.

In a country where too often restaurants are happy to imitate a pre-existing model, Nihonbashi has always tried to do something a little less conventional. This is evident in its dedication to procuring only the highest quality ingredients, and is committed to using locally sourced ingredients to as great an extent as possible. Nihonbashi is the only restaurant in Sri Lankan that intercepts Japan grade export tuna (European grade tuna not being of sufficient quality) before it is sent to the famous Tsukiji fish market in Japan. As well as ensuring the freshness of ingredients, locally sourcing produce also serves to reduce the restaurant’s carbon print, a fact of which Nihonbashi, as an environmentally responsible restaurant, is proud.

The dining options at Nihonbashi are many, from small plates to 10 Course dinner set menus, and there is something to appeal to everyone. With its seven private dining rooms the restaurant is perfect for business dinners, couples, families with children, and foodies.

For cutting edge cuisine, the freshest ingredients and innovative dishes exclusive to the restaurant, Nihonbashi is one restaurant definitely worth a visit.

The best of Sri Lanka’s crabs, commonly held to be the best crabs in the world, have for decades been more easily available internationally than in Sri Lanka itself. It was an interest in rectifying this situation, among other things, which brought together Cricketing Legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and Chef Dharshan Munidasa, to form the Ministry of Crab: The first restaurant in Sri Lanka dedicated to serving export quality crabs. Launched in 2011, the restaurant, which is housed in the renovated 400 year old Dutch Hospital, has proved an instant success.

The crabs served at the restaurant really are a breed apart. Not only are these crabs bigger than your average, with the biggest crab served to date weighing an impressive 3.2kgs, but they also have both claws intact, which means they are rich in dark, flavoursome claw meat.

The ingredients used at the Ministry of Crab aren’t just the best, but also the freshest. Sourced and served in Sri Lanka, there is no way these crabs could be served to you as fresh anywhere else in the world. In fact, Ministry of Crab employs a daring no freezers policy, claiming, “the only use we’ve found for freezers is to store our food refuse prior to disposal,” as the co-owners believe that freezing both detracts from the taste and renders redundant the use of fresh produce.

The restaurant’s commitment to showcasing the best of Sri Lanka extends beyond its use of local produce. It is one of few fine dining restaurants in Colombo to serve local dishes, with standout items such as the Pol Sambol, which is scraped on order, and the the Small Island Iced Tea, a local take on the traditional Long Island Iced Tea, which is a combination of Arrack & natural iced tea.

Unique in its dedication to showcasing the best of Sri Lanka’s produce, Ministry of Crab has begun to change the face of Colombo’s culinary scene, and recently received due recognition by being awarded the Number One Restaurant in Sri Lanka in the 2013 Edition of the Miele Guide.

Not a formally trained chef, Dharshan Munidasa’s love of food began; he likes to say, on the other side of the equation: eating.

A celebrated chef and restaurateur he is best known for having founded Nihonbashi Japanese Restaurant and Ministry of Crab, two of Sri Lanka’s most successful restaurants, as well as for his role as the host of the popular TV series Culinary Journeys with Dharshan.

Launching his career while in his early twenties with the opening of Nihonbashi, Dharshan has spent the last 19 years ensuring that his restaurants have become the most sought after, not only within the country, but also the region.

The simplicity of Japanese cuisine highlights the quality of the ingredients used, and Dharshan, who is of mixed Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage, is very conscious of the ingredients he uses. He often visits the Negombo fish market to select the best of Sri Lanka’s export quality tuna before it is shipped to the famous Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, a grass roots task which many chef-owners would delegate. From creating original dishes, to sourcing ingredients, it is Dharshan’s hands-on involvement and his meticulous attention to detail that has ensured the consistently high standards of his restaurants.

With his TV series Dharshan has consistently aimed to educate the public about the quality of ingredients, particularly seafood found locally, as he feels that teaching the public is a role which not enough restaurateurs undertake.

It is for his unending commitment to food that Dharshan has been invited to prepare $400 per head Japanese degustation menus in various establishments in India and the Maldives; including the Conrad, Four Seasons, Huvanfenfushi, and various Six Senses properties, all in the Maldives, and most recently for the International Food and Wine Society in India.

Considered an innovator in his field, Dharshan is known to push boundaries and this has resulted in both his restaurants, Ministry of Crab and Nihonbashi, respectively obtaining the coveted first and second places in Sri Lanka for outstanding cuisine in the 2013 edition of The Miele Guide (Asia’s first independent restaurant guide). Nihonbashi also has the distinction of being the only Sri Lankan restaurant to have ever made it into San Pellegrino’s list of “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”, ranking #38 in the 2013 edition, as well as being awarded the best restaurant in Sri Lanka.

Our partner in Sri Lanka: Ayu in the Wild:

Ayu in the Wild safaris, Sri Lanka - Creators of the exciting 'Gourmet in the Wild' series of culinary adventures across the wilderness in Sri Lanka. Specialists in exclusive small-group wildlife safaris, natural history expeditions, photography safaris & Junior Rangers safaris for kids.

1. Tesi: Dear Chef José Antonio, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become a chef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food far beyond normal standards?

Chef José Antonio: My relationship with cooking started in a very singular moment, when doing the military service. I learnt how to cook and I was fascinated. I fell in love forever. Beyond the romantic compound, I was 20 and I had to start earning my money.

2. Tesi:The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef José Antonio: Lebanese cuisine is pretty disregarded, and even myself I don’t know it. Nevertheless, I have heard many wonders from great professionals, chefs and critics. They describe it as monstrous, terrific, one of the most impressive legacy. However no one really knows this truly cuisine. In Spain very few know where Lebanon is on the map, and they think people are starving.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that dish?

Chef José Antonio: “Fabada” (typical pork and bean stew from Asturias), is the memory of my life and my surroundings.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef José Antonio: If he wants to sacrifice his life to one profession, I suggest him to goa head, but if he is not ready physically or mentally, it is better to keep it as a hobby. I know real fire wizards who only cook for hobby and enjoy so much, but they do not imagine themselves working six days a week for 14 hours. Not everybody is ready for this frenetic pace.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef José Antonio: Each creative process is different. In fact, I don’t have a specific moment of creation and I don’t create different menus for spring, summer, fall and winter, nor for any concrete date. My mind dictates and I execute. When the mind is ready and celestial bodies align, new menus and proposals arise in a natural way.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Chef José Antonio: The maximum. Right now I’ve had lunch with my daughter, hand to hand, a Cantabrian monkfish sauted with “níscalos” (wild mushrooms). That’s the best of the day. Eating for pleasure to be happy. I cannot feel better afterwards.

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

The menu will be a surprise to discover new culinary landscapes.It will contain following culinary aspects:

The menu will also have a secret ingredients

Torto with guacamole and marinated onion

Iberian pork croquette

Cabrales cheese and baked apple bonbon with white chocolate

Bombón de Cabrales y manzana asada con chocolate blanco

Rey Silo cheese “tremble”, dried fruits, spicy notes and anchovy

Spelt, tomato (Ecoastur), royal and basil

Marinated anchovy, velvet swimcrab-miso soup, strawberries tartar

Fabada with flavours of the past, textures from today

Hake, cider nuance and baby onions

Bio lamb xaldu, roasted, red oinion enchilada juice

Fresh milk, icy and creamy

Raw and cooked strawberries, Jamaica pepper ice-cream

Price: 76 € + tax per person

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef José Antonio cooking skills:

Biography of Chef José Antonio:

With one Michelin star, some people say José Antonio Campoviejo is a mad genius, it might be for his messy hair, for his emotion when he cooks and talks about cooking or for his endless inquisitiveness. Self-taught by the cooking fire, he has developed the passion born when at the military service in charge of feeding his colleagues, he couldn’t stop reading cooking books and magazines.

Chicken filled with oyster, Cabrales cheese and baked apple with white chocolate bonbon, razor-shells soup with sea urchin and algae, or pickled “xarda” fish with citrics and garlic leaf are the result of many years of passionate cooking. José Antonio Campoviejo is a fervent advocate of natural and eco products, and proximity. And he moves his dishes to Asturias, in search of the taste memory.

He has been awarded with multiple awards and recognitions such as la Caldereta de Don Calixto, el Cucharón de la Buena Mesa de la Mar, el Premio de la Crítica and has been knighted Caballero de la Orden del Sabadiego, de la Cofradía Amigos de los Nabos, and Amigos del Queso y de los Amigos del Gochu Asturcelta, among others.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Alfred Prasat's cooking skills

The biography of Chef Alfred

Interview with Michelin Starred Chef Alfred Prasat:

1. Tesi:Chef Alfred, you were born in India and made your career in one of the most expensive districts of London. That sounds like an amazing journey. Looking back at your career, what or who would you say influenced you the most?

Alfred: It is hard to pick one event or one person that influenced me. I was very lucky that I had family and friends around me that supported me in developing my talents from a very early stage in my life.

The first and maybe most important influence in my life were my parents. In my father’s family, vegetarian cooking played a big role, whilst my mother – coming from an Anglo-Indian background – had great skill cooking with meat. Through my family, I first began to understand the variety that different sub-cuisines can offer. I had a great opportunity to deepen this insight when I began to help my mother/ be a nuisance in the kitchen. At that time, I was around 10 years old, and my elder sister and I helped in the kitchen during the weekends. Even now, I treasure those moments when I was together with my family and learned how rewarding it could be to work with great ingredients and to simply have good food in my fingers.

I also have to thank my dad. He loved gardening. We spent a lot of time together in the garden growing and tending the ingredients my mother later used to create the most flavourful dishes. I truly can say that my family gave me a holistic view and a deep appreciation of what good food can be.

A second important influencing factor was that my family moved around in India alot, so I had the opportunity to live in many different places during my childhood. India is a large country with 30 states (Some of these states are even bigger than the United Kingdom.) There is no “one Indian cuisine.” India is a universe of cuisines sometimes using entirely different ingredients and techniques. My hunger to absorb everything food-related continued to grow every time I discovered something new about Indian food. The chance to work in the iconic restaurants Bukhara and Dum Pukht during my training program of the ITC Sheraton also influenced me enormously.

A third influencing factor would be my move to London. It was a milestone in my life. I wasn’t sure if it was the right step in my life – leaving my home country and many friends – but I very quickly recognised that London is a melting pot where many nationalities and cultures meet. London is a city that offers a new inspiration every day. Indian culture and a love of Indian food is very much alive and evolving in London, so the city quickly became a second home to me.

2. Tesi:Indian cuisine is widely known in Europe and especially in England. How has this cuisine developed in the last 100 years in London?

Alfred: Indian cuisine experienced a massive development in London. As I mentioned, the Indian culture is vibrantly alive in the city. In London, it is actually easier to get all kinds of Indian spices and ingredients from different Indian regions than in some provinces of India. The city simply offers everything you need for Indian cooking independent of the type of Indian cuisine you desire. More and more shops offer ingredients from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka which has expanded the already large variety of products you can buy.

The foundation of this lively Indian food culture in London was built by immigrants mainly coming from Bangladesh. These people were extremely proud of their cuisine and brought the food, ingredients, and skills to the United Kingdom. They truly can be called the pioneers of the Indian sub-continental cuisine in London and has reached an extremely high standard. In recent years, it can be even recognised that the London’s evolution of Indian cuisine is influencing some restaurants in India.

3. Tesi: Please complete this sentence: If you really want to discover Indian food, you need to...

Alfred: ...order a new dish every time you are in an Indian restaurant. Life is simply too short to discover all the different cuisines, dishes, and techniques to prepare the food India has to offer. The country has a variety of cuisines influenced by many religions and regions. Some cuisines have their roots in Hinduism, Islam and also Christian culture. The French, the Dutch and the Portuguese travellers also influenced some parts of India. I was born in India, and I’m not coming any nearer to saying that I have enjoyed all the different Indian cuisines!

4. Tesi:What does good food mean to you?

Alfred: Good food is for me a constantly evolving philosophy. To appreciate and respect good food is a specific way of life. Good food is the best investment you can make in yourself!

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

The menu will not be offered on Tuesday 28th of January and Friday 14th February.

Tamarind is closed for lunch on Saturdays.

Pictures of the restaurant and Chef Alfred Prasat's cooking skills:

The biography of Chef Alfred:

Alfred has gained industry and public recognition for his cuisine - he was named in the Restaurant Magazine’s top twenty ‘Movers and Shakers’ for 2004, as well as one of the ‘Rising Stars’ predicted to make it big in 2004 in Delicious Magazine.

Further to that, Alfred was added to the Debrett’s People of Today, the annual publication showcasing great achievers in British society. In 2007, Alfred assisted Gordon Ramsey in turning around the fortunes of ‘Curry Lounge’ in Nottingham as part of the television series ‘Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares’ and also provided ideas towards the content of ‘Gordon’s Great Escape’ – his culinary adventure in India in 2010.

In 2012 Alfred was voted ‘Chef of the year’ at the English Curry Awards and also retained the prestigious Michelin Star at Tamarind for the 11th year in the Michelin Guide 2013. Alfred has been invited to showcase his cuisine at festivals at Hotel d’Angleterre in Geneva, The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa as well as the Constance Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius.

Revered by his peers across the industry, Alfred has been described by Gordon Ramsey as a ‘man always pushing the boundaries, seeking out new spices and combinations’.

World Gourmet Society Festival

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes

Pictures of the restaurant and Charles Hahn’s cooking skills

The biography of Chef Charles Hahn

Interview with Chef Charles Hahn:

1. Tesi: Dear Charles, some chefs discover their love for food and their gift to prepare ingredients in an outstanding way quite late, for some other it is already clear in their childhood years that they will become achef. At which point in time did you discover your gift to prepare food beyond normal standards?

Chef Hahn: My inspiration for cooking and food in general came from watching Chef Dejong in the kitchen. I saw his love and passion for food and pastries. It was from that point on that I knew I wanted to be a chef.Everything he did with food was amazing and I wanted to learn how he created such wonderful food.

2. Tesi: The most underrated cuisine in the world is...

Chef Hahn: Upscale American Southern Comfort food. I like to take Southern comfort food and make it upscale. You know, that is the approach that I take on my menus and my restaurant, is to take it and make it really good.

3. Tesi: What is your favourite dish and why do you love that?

Chef Hahn: One of my favorite dishes honestly, is our seared triggerfish. It is almost like Southern cuisine but you know it has some other influences. It is fresh from the Gulf of Mexico, triggerfish. We take a little bit of salt and pepper dredge it in cornmeal. Then we pan fry it and then we take the Italian and we make a risotto that has a Southern sweet corn and fresh gulf shrimp. We make that up and then pan fry into a cakeand then we make a key lime butter with fresh key lime and serve over the top of the trigger fish, so as it goes on the plate it just starts slowly melting down the whole dish.

4. Tesi: A young and talented chef is on the edge of making their decision if they want to turn their talent into a professional career or if they want to develop their skills to cook as a hobby. What would your advice be for them?

Chef Hahn: Honestly, my advice is that you really have to have a love and passion for food. If you don't, you will not not like your job. I know it sounds funny but... if a young man or young woman wants to go into the culinary field for the rest of their life, I really hope they would have a real love and passion for food and for creating food. Everybody has got their own recipe, but you need to have in your head to do somethingdifferent that no one has done before. You always want to be different and more exciting and more creative, and if you have that in your body then you will succeed as a chef.

5. Tesi: Where do you get your inspiration when you create a menu? Do you follow a method or a routine when you create a menu or is it different every time?

Chef Hahn: My inspiration is how I grew up. I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. So my menu is going to have a lot of upscale Southern food, but it is going to have the fine dining twist, you know? I will throw Sotoin there or you know caviar on shrimp and grits.

6. Tesi: What does good food mean to you?

Charles Hahn: I take my Southern love for cooking and make it upscale, and out of the ordinary to make people go "Wow, this is delicious!"

The World Gourmet Society Festival menu to discover new culinary landscapes:

Jalapeno and corn waffle topped with florida shrimp and crawfish and a Cajun gravy.

Dessert

Organic sweet potato crème brulle.

Or

Organic peach and bourbon crème puff.

Price: $65 per person

Pictures of the restaurant andCharles Hahn’s cooking skills:

The biography of Chef Charles Hahn:

My quest for culinary knowledge began when I moved to the low country of Beaufort South Carolina when I was 14. I began working at a small bistro for a Master Pastry Chef Peter Dejong orignally learning the culinary trade in Europe. My inspiration for cooking and food in general came from watching Chef Dejong in the kitchen. I saw his love and passion for food and pastries. It was from that point on that I knew I wanted to be a chef. Everything he did with food was amazing and I wanted to learn how he created such wonderful food. He agreed to teach and train me on his knowledge of the culinary world. I worked for him for the next five years as an aspiring chef. He gave me inspiration through his actions and I transferred all of that art into my food. I like taking ingredients that no one would think about putting together and using my creativity and talent to create breathtaking dishes. My culinary goal is to put my heart and passion into the food at Vellos and make this one of the best restaurant's in town!